The effects of ultraviolet radiation on growth and bleaching in three species of Hawaiian coral
- California State Univ., Long Beach (United States)
Long term exposure to ultraviolet radiation is harmful to many organisms, including hermatypic corals, which obtain much of their nutrition from photosynthetic zooxanthellae. Therefore, increased UV radiation from atmospheric ozone depletion could inhibit growth of such corals. Moreover, coral bleaching, which has been attributed to loss of pigment and/or expulsion of zooxanthellae, may be a specific response to UV light. Does UV-A reduce skeletal growth or influence population density and pigment content of zooxanthellae In addition, do zooxanthellae migrate to shaded areas of the colony to avoid ultraviolet light Using alizarin red stain and suitable filters, I compared the stain and suitable filters, I compared the effects of UV-A (320-400nm) and full-spectrum UV (280-400nm) on the skeletal growth of two Hawaiian corals, Montipora verrucosa, Pocillopora damicornis, in situ. In the perforate corals, M. Verrucosa and Porites compressa, I measured concentration of zooxanthellae and their chlorophyll content to quantify bleaching in response to UV light. Reduction in skeletal growth by the two corals in response to different ranges of UV light appears to be species specific. Bleaching by UV appears to be characterized by an initial loss of pigment followed by the expulsion and migration of the zooxanthellae to shaded areas of the colony. Differences in tolerance and adaptation to decreasing ozone levels and increasing UV light should confer a competitive advantage on various species and morphologies of reef-building corals.
- OSTI ID:
- 6617070
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9002174--
- Journal Information:
- EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union; (United States), Journal Name: EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union; (United States) Vol. 71:2; ISSN 0096-3941; ISSN EOSTAJ
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BLEACHING
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLOROPHYLL
CNIDARIA
COELENTERATA
CORALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROWTH
HAWAII
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
MICROORGANISMS
NORTH AMERICA
NUTRITION
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PHYTOCHROMES
PIGMENTS
POPULATION DENSITY
PORPHYRINS
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
REEFS
SYNTHESIS
TOLERANCE
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
USA